OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A proposal to increase Nebraska's minimum wage to $9 an hour by 2016 has encountered little organized opposition this fall, but business groups remain wary of its effect on profits.
Voters will decide on the increase on Nov. 4. Besides affecting wages, the measure will likely help Democrats in other races by boosting voter turnout.
State Sen. Jeremy Nordquist says he thinks it's time to increase the minimum wage from its current $7.25 because Nebraskans who earn that much are increasingly struggling to afford the basics.
Nordquist says several business owners have told him they can handle a gradual wage increase like the one proposed.
But Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says there will definitely be an impact on business. It's just hard to predict how big of an impact.
© Associated Press
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